hunter



y 6, 1952 E. E. HUNTER 2,595,664

' LIGHTING DEVICE Filed July 15, 1946 Exzmesr E. Human INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented May 6, 195 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lightingdevices.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved lighting devicewhich is adapted to be used for the ignition of heaters or burners orthe like and which eliminates the use of matches.

An important object of the invention is to provide a lighting devicehaving incorporated therein a source of flame independent of the fuelsupplied to the burner which is to be ignited, thus supplying a flamepositively providing for ignition of the burner fuel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lighting device, ofthe character described, having a flame supporting element independentof the burner which is to be ignited, and wherein the fuel supportingelement may be ignited prior to permitting flow of fuel to the burner,whereby the burner fuel is ignited by the flame of the lighter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighting device, of thecharacter described, which may be positively ignited prior to andindependently of the opening of the fuel control valve in the linesupplying the main burner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lighting devicewhich may be used for igniting substantially any type of fuel and whichis particularly adapted for use with burners supplied with natural gas,butane, or other hydrocarbon gas type fuels, as well as with liquidfuels, such as oil or kerosene.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which may be detachably secured to a heating devicefor igniting the same, whereby it may readily be serviced, replaced oradjusted.

.Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed which may readily be attached to heating devices, such asfurnaces, heaters, ranges, and the like already in use, to provide ameans for igniting the same, such attachment being effected with verynominal alteration of the heating device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which is safe,convenient, efficient, clean and easy to use, eliminating the dangers ofexplosions, burns and the like incident to the use of matches as asource of ignition of the heating devices.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will readily beapparent from the reading of the following description of a deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to theaccompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a View, partly in elevation and partly in section, of alighting device constructed in accordance with the invention and showingthe same installed in a heating device,

Figure 2 is a view, similar to Figure 1, showing the lighting device inignited position,

Figure 3 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, taken onthe line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the manner inwhich the fuel cylinder is secured in the housing.

In the drawings, the numeral l0 designates a lighter housing, which isillustrated as being substantially cylindrical in shape and as havingits ends closed but may be of any desired configuration. The housing isprovided at its outer end with an external annular flange I I attachedto or formed integral with the housing, whereby the housing may besecured by screws I2 or other suitable means within an opening [3 formedin the cover M or other portion of a heating device adjacent to theburner l5 thereof.

An elongate, preferably cylindrical, fuel container or cylinder 20 isadapted to be releasably secured within the housing. A wick sleeve 21 isformed on the inner end of the fuel cylinder and projects therefrom, andthe bore of the sleeve communicates with the bore of the fuel cylinder.An elongate flint tube 22 having its inner end projecting beyond theinner end of the fuel cylinder is securely fastened in the cylinder andextends longitudinally therein, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. Acup-shaped cap member 23 has the inner open end of its bore enlarged andadapted to engage over the outer open end of the fuel cylinder to closethe same; Spaced upstanding lugs 24 formed on the periphery of the capnear its inner end are adapted to slide through correspondingly spacednotches 25 formed in the periphery of an opening 26 in the outer end ofthe housing [0.

When the fuel cylinder has been inserted through the opening 26 untilthe projecting wick sleeve and flint tube are positioned in openingstherefor in the inner end wall of the housing so as to preclude rotationof the fuel cylinder, the lugs 24 may enter through the notches 25 andthe cap member 23 may be rotated on the fuel cylinder to position thelugs out of alignment with the notches, whereby the fuel cylinder and010- sure cap will be securely held in position in the lighter housing.

An elongate wick 30 is mounted in the wick sleeve 21 and extends intothe bore of the fuel cylinder, where it is surrounded by a mass ofcotton, wool or other suitable material adapted to absorb and retain thefuel with which the cylinder is filled. The fuel thus will travelthrough the wick to the exterior exposed end thereof, where it may belighted or ignited and will burn to supply a flame for ignitingpurposes. A flint 32 of suitable pyrophoric material is slidable in theflint tube 22 and is urged outwardly thereof by a spring 33. Thepressure of the spring may be adjusted by manipulation of an adjustingscrew 34 which is threaded into the outer end of the flint tube.

A striking wheel 35, which is serrated on its outer periphery in thecustomary manner and is positioned to be engaged by the outer end of theflint 32, is securely fixed on a shaft 36 which is journaled at one endin an upstanding ear member 31 mounted on the inner end wall of thelighter housing H to one side of the opening through which the flinttube projects. The other end of the shaft 35 extends through a pair ofelongate spaced supporting members 38 which are also securely fixed tothe inner end wall of the lighter housing on the opposite side of theopening through which the flint tube extends. A small driven gear wheel39 is securely fixed on the shaft 36 between the upstanding supportmembers 38, as clearly shown in Figure 3, whereby rotation of the drivengear wheel 39 will rotate the shaft 39 and, in turn, rotate the strikingwheel 35 to cause the serrations thereon to strike sparks from the flint32 in the usual manner.

For driving the driven gear wheel 39, a large driving gear wheel 49 issecurely fixed on a shaft M which has its ends journaled in the outerends of the supporting member 38. The external gear teeth on the largedriving gear wheel 40 mesh with the external teeth on the small drivengear wheel 39, whereby rotation of the driving wheel will cause rotationof the driven wheel. It is preferable that the diameter of the largedrivin gear be so chosen that for any given amount of rotation of saiddriving gear the driven gear will be rotated approximately twice theamount that the driving gear is turned.

A pair of lever arms 42 have one end securely connected to the shaft 4i,whereby when said lever arms are swung through an are they rotate theshaft and cause the driving gear 'wheel to be rotated therewith.

The outer ends of the lever arms 42 are pivotally pinned or connected onopposite sides of the inner end of an elongate operating rod or shaft 45which extends outwardly therefrom through an opening 45 formed in theflange ll adjacent the cylindrical lighter housing. Apush button or head41 is provided on the extreme outer end of the operating shaft forengagement by the hand of the user, whereby the shaft may be pushedinwardly to swing the lever arms 42 to cause the drive wheel 59 to berotated. When the driving gear wheel is thus rotated, the driven gear 39will likewise be rotated and turn the striking wheel to strike sparksfrom the flint 32 to ignite the wick 39.

A helical coiled spring 58 surrounds the operating rod 45 and isconfined between the head 47 and the flange l i of the lighter housing.This spring constantly exerts its force to urge the operating rod 45outwardly with respect to the flange of the housing, whereby the leverarms 42 are normally resiliently held in the position illustrated inFigure 1, and the operating rod may be pressed inwardly when it isdesired to cause sparks to be struck from the flint to ignite the wickand provide a flame at the inner end of the lighter housing. When theoperating rod has been pressed inwardly to the position shown in Figure2, the pressure applied to the head 4'! may be released, whereupon aspring 48 will move the operating rod outwardly to return the same tothe position illustrated in Figure l, where it is again ready for use.

A pilot fuel pipe 58 is connected to the fuel supply line 5| between thefuel control valve 52 and the main burner and extends through the innerend wall of the housing I! at a point just above the fuel container orcylinder 20. The end of the pilot pipe is tapered and its bore isreduced to provide a small jet opening at the extreme inner end 53thereof. The jet end 53 projects through the inner end wall of thelighter housing In at a point spaced above the wick 39, whereby theflame of the burning wick will ignite the fuel flowing from the jetopening in the pilot pipe. The fuel so ignited will be ejected towardthe main burner l5 to ignite the fuel flowing therefrom. Obviously, thewick of the lighter may be ignited and burning prior to opening the fuelcontrol valve to permit the fuel to flow through the pilot pipe, wherebyaccidental explosions are prevented.

An elongate cover or extinguishing member 55 has a pair of yoke arms 56at one end which are secured to the shaft 36 on each side of thestriking wheel 35, whereby the elongate cover member is swung through anare as the shaft is turned. The extinguishing or cover member isprovided with a recess 51 near its inner end which is adapted to engageover the wick sleeve 2| and to receive the wick 36 of the lighter whenin the position shown in Figure 1, whereby the flame on the wick issnuffed or extinguished. A tapered substantially conical recess 58 isformed near the outer end of the cover member and is adapted to engageover the tapered inner end of the pilot pipe to extinguish the pilotflame and to close off flow of fuel from the pilot pipe.

While the foregoing construction is preferable, the extinguisher orcover member may be terminated just beyond the recess 51 which isadapted to cover the wick 30 of the lighter. Thus, the pilot flame ofthe fuel flowing through pilot pipe may continue to burn so long as themain fuel valve remains open. This construction may be preferable wherethe fuel supplied to the main burner is controlled by a remote controlthermostat or other means for intermittently cutting off flow of fuel tothe main burner to maintain an even temperature, or the like. In suchevent the cover or extinguisher member would merely cover the wick 39 toextinguish the flame thereon when the plunger rod 45 is released topermit the parts of the lighter to move to the position shown in Figure1.

In operation, the lighting device is connected to the heating device inthe manner described and shown in the drawings. When it is desired toignite the main burner of the heating device, the plunger head 4'! ispressed inwardly to force the plunger rod 45 inwardly. Inward movementof the plunger rod will swing the lever arms 42 through an arc to rotatethe driving gear wheel 49 in a clockwise direction. Rotation of thedriving gear wheel will, in turn, cause rotation of the driven gearwheel 39 in a counterclockwise direction, and rotation of the drivengear wheel and the shaft, 36 on which it is mounted will cause rotationof the striking wheel 35 in the same direction to cause the strikingwheel to strike sparks from the flint 32. Obviously, as the shaft 36 isrotated, the cover member 55 is also swung through an arc to uncover thewick 30, whereby the spark struck from the flint by the striking wheelwill ignite the wick to provide a flame at and above said wick. When thewick has been ignited, the fuel control valve may be opened to permitfuel to flow through the main line to the main burner and through thepilot pipe 50 to the orifice jet at its inner end, where the fuel willbe ignited by the flame from the wick 3B and will provide a pilot flaredirected outwarclly from the end of the pilot pipe to the main burner toignite the fuel flowing from said main burner.

When the main burner has been ignited, the plunger rod operating thedriving wheel may be released, whereupon the spring 48 will force theplunger rod outwardly to rotate the driving wheel in the opposite orcounterclockwise direction. Such counterclockwise rotation of thedriving wheel will turn the driven gear wheel 39 in the opposite orclockwise direction to cause the shaft 36 and the cover member 55mounted thereon to swing back to the position shown in Figure 1, wherethe cover member extinguishes the flame on the wick and closes the endof the pilot pipe 50.

Of course, should 'the cover member 55 be shortened, in the manneralready described, so as not to include the recess 58, the cover memberwill merely extinguish the flame at the wick 36 and permit the pilotflame to continue to burn when the plunger rod 35 is released to returnto the position shown in Figure 1.

From the foregoing, it will readily be seen that a lighting device hasbeen provided which includes a lighter mechanism having a wick which isignited from a sparking mechanism, the ignited wick furnishing a flameas a source of ignition of the fuel flowing from the pilot pipe. Theignited pilot flame will in turn ignite the fuel flowing from the mainburner of the heating device. It will also be seen that the device issimple, having few moving parts; that it is removably mounted on theheating device and may be easily removed therefrom for servicing orreplacement of worn parts; and that it may be readily attached topresent existing heaters with only a very nominal alteration therein. Itis also manifest that the provision of the wick flame permits ignitionof various types of fuel such as natural gas, butane, or otherhydrocarbon gas fuels, as well as liquid fuels such as oil or kerosene,or the like, which would be diflicult to ignite by sparks alone.Furthermore, the device eliminates the use of matches, provides for easeof lighting, is convenient, eflicient, and clean in use, and providesfor a source of flame at the inner end of the pilot pipe before the fuelis permitted to flow through the pilot pipe to ignite the burner,whereby the hazards of explosions, burns and the like are substantiallyeliminated.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, andchanges in the details of the construction illustrated may be made bythose skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A lighting device adapted to be mounted on a heating device forigniting the main burner thereof and including, a housing adapted to beconnected to the heating device, a pilot pipe carried by the housing andadapted to be connected with the fuel supply line of the heating deviceand having its outlet end projecting from the housing and directedtoward the main burner of the heating device when the housing is securedto the heating device, an ignitable element having an independent sourceof fuel and having means detachably engaging the housing whereby saidignitable element is releasably carried by the housing spaced below andadjacent the outlet end of the pilot pipe and adapted to be ignited toprovide a source of flame at the outlet end of said pilot pipe forlighting fuel flowing therefrom, the lighted fuel flowing from the pilotpipe being directed to the burner of the heating device for igniting thesame, and sparking means on the housing and operable from exteriorly ofsaid housing and independently of the flow of fuel through the pilotpipe for igniting the ignitable member.

2. A lighting device adapted to be mounted on a heating device having amain burner for igniting the same and including, a housing adapted to beconnected to the heating device, a pilot fuel pipe carried by thehousing and adapted to be connected with the fuel supply line of theheating device and positioned in said housing with its outlet endprojecting from the housing and directed toward the main burner of theheating device, a fuel container independent of the heating device fuelsupply line and having catch members engageable with the housing forreleasably securing the fuel container in the housing and having anignitable member projecting from the housing below and adjacent theoutlet end of the pilot pipe, and sparking means carried by the housingadjacent the ignitable member and operable from exteriorly of saidhousing for igniting the ignitable member when desired, whereby saidignitable member may be ignited to provide a lighting flame at theoutlet end of the pilot pipe for igniting fuel flowing from said pilotpipe.

3. A lighting device including, a housing adapted to be connected to aheating device, a pilot fuel pipe carried by the housing and positionedwith its outlet end projecting through an opening in the housing todeliver a jet at the burner of the heating device, said pilot fuel pipebeing adapted to be connected to the fuel line supplying the burner ofthe heating device, an independent fuel container having catch membersengageable with the housing for releasably connecting said container tothe housing and having a wick sleeve projecting through an opening inthe housing below and adjacent the outlet end of the pilot pipe, anignitable wick projecting from the outer end of the wick sleeve belowthe outlet tip of the pilot pipe, a striking wheel carried by thehousing adjacent the wick, pyrophoric means carried by the housingexposed adjacent the wick and engageable by the striking wheel, andmeans operable from exteriorly of the housing and heating device forrotating the striking wheel to cause sparks to be struck from thepyrophoric means to ignite the wick to proyide a lighting flame at theoutlet tip of the pilot pipe for igniting fuel flowing from said pilotpipe.

4. A lighting device adapted to be mounted on a heating device having amain burner and a pilot burner and including, a housing having means forsecuring it to the heating device, a pilot fuel pipe carried by thehousing and positioned to deliver a jet at the burner of the heatingdevice and having means for connecting it to the fuel line of saidheating device, ignitable means releasably secured on the housing spacedbelow and adjacent the outlet end of the pilot pipe and having aseparate source of fuel independent of the pilot pipe, means onsaidignitable means for releasably holding the same in position on thehousing, and means for igniting said ignitable means operableindependently of the supply of fuel to the main burner and pilot pipefor igniting said ignitable member independently of the fuel flow fromthe pilot pipe and burner, whereby the ignitable member may be ignitedprior to commencement of flow of fuel through the pilot pipe to providea flame at the tip of the pilot pipe for positively igniting fuelflowing therefrom, whereby the pilot pipe delivers a jet flame at theburner of the heating device to ignite the same.

5. A lighting device including, a housing adapted to be connected to aheating device, a pilot fuel pipe carried by the housing and positionedwith its outlet end projecting through an opening in the housing todeliver a jet at the burner of the heating device, said pilot fuel pipebeing adapted to be connected to the fuel line supplying the burner ofthe heating device, an independent fuel container releasably carried bythe housing and having a wick sleeve projecting through an opening inthe housing below and adjacent the outlet end of the pilot pipe, anignitable wick projecting from the outer end of the wick sleeve belowthe outlet tip of the pilot pipe, a striking wheel carried by thehousing adjacent the wick, pyrophoric means carried by the housingexposed adjacent the wick and en gageable by the striking wheel, meansoperable from exteriorly of the housing and heating device for rotatingthe striking wheel to cause sparks to be struck from the pyrophoricmeans to ignite the wick to provide a lighting flame at the outlet tipof the pilot pipe for igniting fuel flowing from the pilot pipe, 9.cover member carried by the housing and normally covering the ignitablewick and the outlet tip of the pilot pipe and swingable from covering,position when the striking wheel is rotated to ignite the wick, andmeans for returning said cover member to position covering the wick andthe outlet tip of the pilot pipe to extinguish flame thereat and cut offfuel flow from said pilot pipe.

ERNEST E. HUNTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,111,939 Angeli Sept. 29, 19141,185,027 Van Dusen May 30, 1916 1,295,130 Deplanque Feb. 25, 19191,495,396 Breitruck May 27, 1924 1,717,749 Weisberger June 18, 19291,865,659 Weisenburger July 5, 1932 2,011,063 Masoner Aug. 13, 1935

